


Drift Compatible

by Spacecadet72



Category: A League of Their Own (1992)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Pacific Rim Fusion, Gen, Period-Typical Sexism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-19
Updated: 2019-06-19
Packaged: 2020-05-07 19:48:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,943
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19216309
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spacecadet72/pseuds/Spacecadet72
Summary: It had been all Kit's idea.Or, how Dottie finds herself in the Shatterdome.





	Drift Compatible

**Author's Note:**

  * For [giallos](https://archiveofourown.org/users/giallos/gifts).



> I loved all of your prompts but this one was just so fun I had to go with it. :)
> 
> No Bob in this 'verse. (Actually that makes me sad. Let's just say he's out there happy and just never met Dottie.)
> 
> Set in 1949. The Kaijus attacked very shortly after the end of World War II.
> 
> I can't draw or I'd include a picture, but the Jaeger aesthetic here is dieselpunk. 
> 
> And now for a shameless plug. I wrote this for a past exchange, but it partly fulfills one of your prompts, so I thought I would link it here: [First Base](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14927507)

It had never been Dottie’s idea. It had all been Kit: young, brash, passionate Kit. She hadn’t even wanted to go, but the recruiter had only wanted Dottie, and would only agree to bring Kit if Dottie came.

_“But we have to go!” Kit had protested, while Dottie milked one of the cows. “How can we sit here doing nothing when we could be out there, fighting?”_

_Dottie raised one eyebrow. “I wouldn’t call what we do nothing.”_

_Kit rolled her eyes. “Anyone can milk a cow, Dottie. I want to do something, be something, not stuck here, some little nobody.”_

_Dottie had paused, struck more by the sound of defeat in Kit’s voice than her passionate call to fight. She sighed. “All right, you win. We’ll go.”_

It was four years into the Kaiju War, and they weren’t the first picks. Many young men had lost their lives in World War II, and those who lived went on to fight in the next war. It had been nothing but death and bloodshed for the past ten years. The first pick pilots had already been fighting for a long time or died to protect the world. The arena had definitely seen better days, and they certainly weren’t there for the food. But despite all that, there was something about it all that took Dottie’s breath away. 

It had never been Dottie’s idea, but sometimes she wishes it had been. 

What struck her at times even more than where they were, was the other recruits. Due to the loss of men during World War II, the new group was mostly women. Dottie never had many female friends growing up. She was too much of a tomboy, and she hadn’t cared. But here, she was part of a team, and that she could do. 

“Who are you?”

Dottie looked up from her dinner tray as a couple of women, both brunettes and both intimidating in their own way, sat down at her table.

“Dottie Keller,” she said, with a nod. 

“I’m Kit,” Kit said, sounding excited to be meeting new people. 

“I’m Doris,” the woman who had spoken first said, before pointing to her companion. “This is Mae.” 

Mae nodded at them both, her bright red lipstick a flash of color against her dark hair and clothes. 

The other woman sitting at the end, quiet and retreating had yet to speak. She had arrived on the same train as the sisters and had been just as reserved then as she was now. She’d said her name, but not one word more. “This is Marla,” Dottie said gesturing her with her head. 

“Nice to meetcha,” Doris said before taking a large bite of mashed potatoes. 

Marla nodded, not quite meeting Doris’s eyes, and remained silent. 

“Can I join you guys?” A soft voice asked, and Dottie turned to see a young blonde woman standing at the end of the table. Next to her was a young boy, his features scrunched together in a silly face.

“Of course,” Dottie said, wondering when she had become in charge of who sat at the table. 

“I’m Evelyn and this is Stilwell,” she said, pointing to the boy next to her. 

“I didn’t realize they had children here,” Kit asked, sounding genuinely curious. 

Evelyn shook her head. “They don’t usually, but my husband can’t take care of him at home because he’s too busy looking for a job, so I asked and they said I could bring him. But don’t worry, he’s just a little angel.” 

Dottie nodded and smiled, not sure that was true. 

“So what brought you here?” Mae asked Dottie. 

Before she could respond, Stilwell scooped up a large helping of potatoes and catapulted them directly at Mae.

She let out a loud gasp, staring down at the mashed potatoes running down her top. “Evelyn, I’m going to kill your son.” 

Things got complicated very quickly, as Doris, Kit and Dottie all leapt up to try to stop Mae from murdering a seven year old. 

“Mae, come on now, Mae--”

“Stilwell, Angel, say you’re sorry to the nice lady.” 

“I’ll show you how nice,” Mae growled, and Doris held her back by both arms. 

“Why don’t we go to the restroom and wash that off,” Dottie suggested, moving to put herself between Mae and the boy. 

Mae allowed herself to be led away, but her mood didn’t improve. 

Dottie let out a sigh. If this was the first night at the Shatterdome, what would the upcoming days bring?

They started training the next day, but it was more like testing, seeing what their strengths and weaknesses were, who to pair with who. 

Most of the tests were Bo staff matches to test drift compatibility. Getting people paired off and training with their Jaegers was the ultimate priority. Dottie wasn’t sure that she’d be drift compatible with anyone here. Siblings sometimes were, because of the closeness of the relationship, but she couldn’t imagine that she and Kit could pilot a whole Jaeger without bickering the entire time. 

Drift compatibility was supposedly rare. Most of them would be paired off with people they’d be a good match with, but nothing compared to the in sync actions of a drift compatible team. 

Dottie won most of her matches, and while some of the people there were decent fighters, they weren’t what Dottie would consider a good match. She beat too many of them too quickly. 

“You could go a little easier on them, Dottie,” Kit said, in one of the rare instances she wanted to be seen with Dottie. She’d been avoiding her older sister for the last few days, wanting distance from the comparisons made by the other girls. They both watched as Dottie’s last opponent, Alice, walked off the mat, limping slightly. 

Dottie shrugged. “The Kaiju won’t. Why should I?”

Three weeks into their testing, a man walked in looking like he rolled out of bed after a whole night of drinking and debauchery. Dottie wrinkled her nose in disdain as he belched while scratching his belly. He looked bored and like he’d rather be anywhere else.

She knew that they may be scraping the bottom of the barrel this far into the war, but she didn’t understand why this man was even here. When she said as much, Doris looked incredulous. 

“Don’tcha know who he is?” Doris asked. Mae stood behind her nodding her head along with Doris’s words. 

Dottie shook her head. “No, who is he?”

“That’s Jimmy Dugan, he’s one of the big shot pilots from a few years ago. He got injured in a fight with a Kaiju and hasn’t piloted a Jaeger since. His co-pilot died in the fight.” 

Dottie’s brows rose at the story. That would explain his appearance. Recovering from a partner’s death, especially in battle when you were tied to the other’s mind, was rough. Dottie felt a shot of pity for him. 

Then he spoke and the pity flew right out of her. 

“I don’t see any fighters here, Marshal,” he said, managing to sound both bored and scornful of them. “Just a bunch of girls.” 

The other girls, who had begun whispering when Jimmy had walked into the room, began talking louder at that insult. 

“You think you’re any better?” Dottie said stepping forward. 

Jimmy looked surprised, and laughed. 

“Is that a challenge?” he asked, stepping down onto the mat. 

Dottie shrugged. “I don’t know. I don’t see a pilot, I just see an ass.” 

Jimmy laughed again. “I like you,” he said before turning and grabbing a staff. He gestured to the staff in Dottie’s hand. “Let’s do this.” 

They began with little fanfare, both in fighting stance, each waiting for the other to strike. After a moment, Jimmy struck first, and Dottie blocked him easily. She didn’t allow herself to truly underestimate him, however. She could tell that was a strike to test her out. 

They pulled their staffs back and this time Dottie struck, almost getting in a hit before he blocked her. He looked at her, impressed before he struck quickly almost getting her shoulder, but she was able to block him again. 

They went on like this for several moves, each striking and blocking, neither getting in a hit. This was the most difficult match Dottie had participated in, but it didn’t feel like fighting. It felt like a dance. Like she knew where he was going to be next and moved to meet him there. 

He was still an ass, but there was something there, something pulling her to him. She hated it. 

A grunt ripped from her throat as she attacked him next, but in her frustration at whatever there was between them, she had left herself open. He took the shot and she let out a frustrated sigh. 

“One, zero,” he said with a little smile that infuriated her to no end, but she took in a calming breath. This wouldn’t be solved by attacking out of anger. She had to listen to that voice in the back of her mind, that told her where he was going to be next. Had to trust that her muscles knew what they were doing. 

As soon as they started the next round, she struck, but he was too quick and she wasn’t able to get a hit in. Finally, after several near hits, she was able to get a hit on him when he left himself open. 

“One, one.” Dottie said, her voice even.

Something in Jimmy’s eyes turned more serious as she got her hit in, as if he was finally deciding to take her seriously. 

The rest of the rounds went quickly. Jimmy got another point, then Dottie, and finally, Jimmy won the match. 

“Good match,” she said, feeling disappointed he had won and more disappointed they weren’t still fighting. There was something exhilarating about it that she hadn’t felt with any other opponent. 

Jimmy nodded. “You’re a good fighter.” 

Dottie nodded her thanks, before walking out of the room, but not before sneaking one last glance behind her. 

The partnership assignments were posted the next day. 

Dottie, being taller than most of the other women, and even some of the men, stood at the back of the crowd, trying to read the paper from a distance. 

“See anything good?”

Dottie turned to see Jimmy standing next to her, his attention focused on the assignment sheet tacked to the bulletin board. 

Dottie shook her head. “The people moving in front of the paper are making it kind of difficult.” 

Jimmy tilted his head in agreement. He moved forward, parting the crowd to get to the paper. 

Dottie rolled her eyes. Of course he couldn’t just wait like the rest of them. 

“What the hell kind of name is _Rockford Peach_?” Jimmy asked as he made his way back to her. 

“What?”

“The Rockford Peach. It’s the name of our Jaeger,” Jimmy said as if that explained everything. 

“Our Jaeger?” Dottie asked, both horror and excitement growing within her as she realized what he meant. 

Jimmy stuck out his hand. “Meet your new partner.” 

Dottie took his hand only slightly reluctantly. “You’re still an ass.” 

Jimmy shook her hand firmly, his grin wide. “And you’re still a girl, but you can fight, so I think we can make this work.” 

Dottie wasn’t sure she wanted him in her mind, or that she wanted to be in his, but there was still that something, that sense of shared purpose between them that she felt during their match and she decided to trust it.

She smiled and tightened her grip. “Let’s do this.” 


End file.
